Well dear friends, here’s my story. For the last 20 years or so I’ve been carrying my phone on my belt. In the early 2000s I got tired of my phone getting clogged up with pocket lint so I took it out of my pocket and hung it on my belt. I don’t know if you remember, but there used to be these plastic clips that attached to the back where you could just clip the phone to your belt.
Those only took you so far. Starting in the smartphone era, I started putting my phone horizontally in one of those ballistic nylon belt cases. You know the ones. Depending on your age, it’s the one you, your dad, or your granddad uses.
Peer pressure triumphs?
Ever since returning to semi-normal life after the worst of the pandemic hit us, I’ve been pressured to get rid of that nylon case and just put my phone in my back pocket like most people do. So I’m trying it. But I’ll tell you all something, I don’t care for it. I wonder if you’re thinking the same thing. I thought it might be fun to list the pro’s and con’s of using one of those belt cases.
The pro’s
- The phone stays protected. I hardly need to tell you that a phone costs about $1,000. You can get some of that cost back if you care for its appearance. Plus, it lasts longer if it’s not getting bumped around.
- It’s convenient. The phone is right by your hand, right where you need it to be. Plus, you don’t look like some sort of perv reaching back to your butt all the time.
- It’s harder to steal. I’m not sure I’d even notice if someone lifted my phone out of my back pocket. On the other hand, I’m sure I’d notice someone opening up the flap on that case.
- You’re not as likely to leave it behind. You see it all the time, people taking their phones out of their pockets and putting them on the table. Why? Because those things aren’t comfortable to sit on, that’s why. It’s also probably not great for the phone if you sit on it all the time.
The con’s
There are some good things about keeping your phone in your pocket. I’ll count them as con’s, since they make the argument against keeping your phone in a case.
- You don’t always know when someone wants to reach you. No one uses ringtones anymore. Everyone just has the phone on vibrate all the time. When it’s vibrating against your bottom, you know it. When it’s in a case, you might not.
- You look like a refugee from 2011. I’m not a big follower of fashion, but there is a point where you don’t want to look horribly out of date. When the teens snicker at you, it’s time to rethink your wardrobe.
- It’s getting harder to find those cases. Low demand means I have to go to eBay or whatever, and that means long lead times and extra shipping costs.
- It’s still not really the ultimate protection. In the years when I’ve had those cases, dirt has still infiltrated the ports. More important perhaps, it’s sometimes hard to get the phone out of the case and that means it can get dropped more often.
I suppose I should also point out…
Let’s put the cards on the table. Not everyone has the same body shape they did in past years. After two years in semi-quarantine, a lot of us are noticeably rounder. That means that those cases might feel a little uncomfortable against a swelling tummy, especially if you’re trying to fit into those older jeans. I’m not trying to shame anyone. I’m simply saying that depending on your shape, the case might cut in a bit.
Balancing that out, though, is the idea that the case is probably more comfortable than sitting on a wooden chair with your phone in your pocket. Life is full of compromises, I suppose.
So what’s your take on this? I’m curious what our Solid Signal fans do with their phones? Pocket? Case? Purse or carryall? I haven’t even touched on that idea. I don’t like having my hands tied up so I don’t use a backpack or carryall. But a lot of folks of all genders do.
Solid Signal doesn’t sell phone cases…
…which might make you wonder why I’m even writing this article on the company blog. I do believe that a little off-topic ranting every so often keeps things interesting, and so do the folks I work with. We’re a great bunch of hard workers, and I’d sure consider it a favor if you’d think about that. Shop at Solid Signal to support people like you who just want to work hard to offer the best products at the best prices.
